SignWriting
in USA

SignWriting in Michigan
Shores Deaf Church in St Clair Shores


SignWriting
in USA

 

SignWriting Used to Translate the Bible
by Reverend Ronald H. Dettloff

At the Shores Deaf Church, SignWriting is an integral part of our mission. Presently we use SignWriting in almost every area of our ministry. Every Sunday we use SignWriting to project our Scripture text for the day and volunteers read the signs. Often we give prizes out to the best readers. All our pass-out papers include SignWriting.

Photo Above: Arthur, a Deaf congregation member, uses the SignPuddle program on the web to find English words, and to read the equivalent translation in American Sign Language, written in SignWriting.


We translate the English Bible passages into American Sign Language, typed in SignWriting, using our computers at the church. In the past, we used the SignWriter DOS computer program to create our documents:

SignWriter DOS
https://www.SignWriting.org/forums/software/sw44

Now we are using SignPuddle on the web to create our Bible translations:

SignPuddle for American Sign Language
https://signbank.org/signpuddle/sgn-US/index.php

Once the documents are created, we project the documents in SignWriting through Power Point, Microsoft Word, and PDF files. PDF files have the unique ability to show the gloss when the cursor is passed over the sign. All of our Bible documents are posted on the web, free for anyone to download, made possible by webmaster Jerry Spillman, who created the SignBible web site for us:

SignBible Web Site
https://www.cyberjer.com/signbibl/

In our classes, we teach people how to read scripture in SignWriting, how to write the signs, and we teach English glosses so that eventually students can use SignPuddle.

Photo above: Reverend Dettloff at the board, is teaching Bible passages in English, while a Deaf student at the computer uses the SignPuddle program on the web to find the translation of the words from English into American Sign Language written in SignWriting. For some Deaf students, this is the first time they have been able to read Bible passages.


SignWriting Used in Bible Study

Our congregation consists of Deaf people with different levels of education. Those Deaf people who are college educated have opened up their minds to the possibilities of SignWriting, and have allowed me to use it on every level, especially for those Deaf members who do not read and write English well. Around a third of the congregation has some trouble reading the Bible in English. For them, SignWriting is a blessing.

We have a special class in which we use SignWriting to teach students how to read the Bible in English. We use SignWriting first and then we move over to English. We have had great success with this, especially with students considered illiterate or low functioning. In fact, I believe a system of writing that does not require a college degree is a much more useful system. We find it much easier to teach the Bible when we do not have to teach English first.

We are currently praying that God will supply us with some helpers in our translating of the Bible into SignWriting. Anyone considering assisting us in this worthy project must meet the following requirements: Born again Christian, knowledge of Scripture and Christian Theology, formal training in ASL and English, and a love for the Deaf.  We will teach you SignWriting.
 
God bless,

Rev. Ronald H. Dettloff
signpreach@sbcglobal.net

Reverend Ronald H. Dettloff
Director of Deaf Ministries
The Shores Deaf Church
Michigan District of the Assemblies of God 

The Shores Deaf Church
20880 Ten Mile Road
St. Clair Shores, MI 48080


Shores Deaf Church
https://theshoreschurch.org


SignBible Web Site
https://www.cyberjer.com/signbibl/

SignWriting Web Site
https://signwriting.org/

SignPuddle for American Sign Language
https://signbank.org/signpuddle/sgn-US/index.php

Download This Article in PDF Format
https://www.signwriting.org/archive/docs3/sw0283-US-ShoresDeafChurch.pdf

About the Author: Reverend Ronald H. Dettloff is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God and has worked full time in Deaf ministry since 1987. He has earned degrees from Central Bible College, Macomb Community College, and has also earned a certificate in Sign Language Studies from Madonna University. Currently, he is working on translating the entire Bible into SignWriting.


SignWriting
in USA

SignWriting in Michigan
Shores Deaf Church in St Clair Shores


SignWriting
in USA

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